No one Special
by Remyx
Summary: This is my first fanfic. Please send me suggestions or comments. Shikamaru loves Ino, but Ino's life is filled with too many sorrowful events for her to see that Shikamaru was really her guardian angel all along, till that day. lemon
1. Chapter 1: The Same Situation

He was the laziest shinobi in the whole leaf village, and probably the whole world. On good days you could find him staring up at the clouds on a soft grassy hill, sleeping, or shiftlessly smoking a cigarette by his favorite sitting area near the hokage's building. But that, was on a good day, and all he could concentrate on, at the moment, was his best friend and teammate who was unconsciously laying in his arms. To make things worse, they were both drenched from the stone-cold pouring rain. However, Shikamaru didn't notice himself quivering at all, he was too bent on keeping Ino warm. Even as the rain pelted unmercifully at the back of his neck and on his gentle and strong arms, he continued to push through the weather determined to get to her safely to her apartment.

* * *

When he finally reached the steps to her faded and chipped door, it took him a while to be able to hold most of her body with one arm while he tensely reached into her skirt pocket to grab the keys.

Ino partly opened her icy blue eyes to meet his worn expression while he fiddled with the lock in attempt to get them out of the rain. "S-Sasuke…" Ino groaned cuddling closer to his chest. Shikamaru sighed and shook his head slowly. "Sorry Ino, he's not here, it's just me, no one special."

Ino closed her eyes slowly and fell into unconsciousness again just as Shikamaru was finally able to push the stubborn door open. He thanked what ever god there was silently, because if the door hadn't ever opened soon, he would have dropped Ino.

He laid her down on her purple covered bed and soon after collapsed on her white carpet from exhaustion. He was shaking uncontrollably now, he felt like he had never done so much work in his entire life, being the laziest shinobi and all. He finally managed to push himself back up and summon enough energy to open her closet door, and pull out some jean shorts and a big T-shirt. He sniffed the shirt wondering who's it was realizing it was much to big for Ino. His heart sunk at that moment and he felt and angry feeling take it's place. "Sasuke." He growled.

Shikamaru undid Ino's top, and removed her wet clothes, replacing them with the makeshift ones he had found piled in the black hole she called her closet. It wasn't like he hadn't ever done any of this before, in fact he thought the situation was becoming too familiar. At least he was able to swallow his feelings for her, enough to where he could help her get into some warm and dry clothes without totally drooling over her exposed body. She never knew it was him who always dragged her drunk ass home when she had been too wasted to walk every night. She always just assumed it was her boyfriend Sasuke, who wasn't ever faithful to her for more then a millisecond. When Ino went to the bars with Sasuke, the first thing he would do was grab a bunch of sake and meet up with his "friends", leaving Ino alone to drink herself away and watch him totally cheat on her in front of her very eyes.

Then there was always Shikamaru who followed her every night and safely anchored himself in the dark corner of a bar, concealed where she couldn't see him, and close enough to wear he could make sure she was ok. He knew that she was dying inside, but every time Chouji, their other teammate, and Shikamaru told her that Sasuke was bad news for her, she would just weakly smile gratefully for their concern and say, "he just needs time."

Shikamaru had enough with that though. Ino wouldn't ever break it off with Sasuke, no matter how much he cheated right in front of her, no matter how much he got drunk, no matter how much he managed to break Ino's heart and get her drunk. He wanted to do something horrible to her bastard of a boyfriend, but for Ino he stayed clear and let her make her own childish decisions. Shikamaru knew that if their sensei Asuma, and Ino's parents were still alive, none of this would be happening. But, at least she had him to look after her, not that it mattered, she didn't even know the truth.

"What am I thinking?" Shikamaru thought to himself. "Get a grip buddy, it's not like she thinks of you as anything more then her friend/teammate. What are you thinking? Somehow she'll leave her oh so "perfect" boyfriend for you? Give yourself a break."

Shikamaru plopped onto Ino's purple couch outside her bedroom, still wet and shivering to himself. His own apartment (which was inexplicably messier then Ino's closet) was just three doors down, but he was too tired to move his legs anymore, and his body felt like it was in the land of snow instead of leaves. He curled up into a ball on her couch and looked wearily around the room at the purple walls, purple rug, and purple vases. He rolled his eyes, "troublesome…everything has to be purple."

Soon he found himself closing his eyes, feeling like he had attached 1000 pounds to each eyelid, and his analytically genius brain drifted off and spaced out. The last thing she heard was the ticking of the purple clock in Ino's kitchen.


	2. Chapter 2: She cares?

"Shika-kun… Shika…Shikamaru wake up." Shikamaru heard a small voice say as he felt something continuously shake him.

"Wh-what?" he asked still half asleep.

"Well um…what are you doing here?" The voice asked. He finally managed to sit himself up to see who was talking to him. Immediately he felt dizzy and cold. He was erotically shaking, and he felt like he could feel the earth turning. Whatever big purple room he was in already seemed like it was spinning around.

"Wait a minute…purple?" He thought finally realizing where he was and to whom the soft voice belonged to. "Oh boy, how do you explain this one genius?" He silently asked himself.

"Well…I'm waiting." Ino huffed tapping her foot.

"I- I must have s-sleep walked over." He replied trying to steady his speech and stop his teeth from chattering.

"Are you okay?" Ino asked concerned. She put the back of her palm to his forehead and her eyes grew wide. You have a horrible fever!"

Even though his unreadable expression didn't even drop a hint to what he was thinking, Shikamaru was litterally screaming inside his head. He was dead sure that Ino would have slapped him calling him a pervert for falling asleep in her house, questioned him without end, or started yelling at him, or something Ino-ish. Instead she was now running to the kitchen looking for thermometer and chucking a blanket at him.

"How the hell did you get so sick Shikamaru?" she asked him stuffing a thermometer into his mouth.

The famous troubled scowl appeared on his face as he looked up at her. "I wath walking in va rain." He muttered.

"I thought you were supposed to have an iq over 200! Walking in the rain, what the hell were you thinking? You should be greatful Sasuke wasn't here, if he saw you just sleeping there he might have gotten the wrong idea and you would have been dead."

"When did he come by?" Shikamaru asked nearly jumping up and busting through the door angrily at the mention of Sasuke's name.

"Oh, I don't actually know, he must have dropped me off in my bed because that's where I was when I woke up from- oh nevermind. The point is," she said yanking the thermometer away from Shikamaru, "You need to get back home and rest. You have a fever of 103.5."

"Yeah, thanks Ino-chan." He said getting up sadly and heading for the plum colored door.

Ino nodded happily and watched him go.

Shikamaru walked down the sidewalk to his room just a couple feet away. "Jeez that was a close one." He mummbled to himself. "I have to be more careful, well not that she would care if I told her that she was the one that caused me to walk in the rain. Man, how troublesome." He said finally stummbling into his apartment. He held his head tightly, and he groggily took his shoes off. He swore that his heart was pounding in his head and 1000 kunais were whistling by his ears. He dizzily walked to his bathroom tripping over his own feet on the way there. When he had closed the door he roughly yanked the shower handle to hottest temperature it would allow him to go, and he slipped his hair tie out and lazily shrugged all his clothes off of his lean body. He stepped in and let the burn of the water break reality and bring him to a place where reality wasn't allowed. His own head was a world, and a life he could control, and knowing that combined with the hot soothing water dripping down his hair and down his smooth muscular body, was enough to bring him to happiness for the time being.

When Shikamaru got out of the shower, he realized he had been in the water for an hour and a half. The water was icy cold compared to when he had gotten in. He grabbed a warm navy blue T-shirt from the dryer and dragged on some jeans he found lying around. Afterwards he partly dried his hair with a towel and combed it down not bothering to put it up at the sudden ring of the doorbell. "Hold on!" He yelled almost angrily.

He opened the door revealing Naruto and Chouji standing there bewildered at his attitude and appearance. "Uh… your hair is down." Chouji said shyly not wanting to actually speak his mind.

"Dude, what the fuck happened to you?" Naruto asked insensitively.

Shikamaru sighed and motioned for them to come in. Both boys collapsed on the three bean bag chairs by the wall and looked at Shikamaru waiting for an explanation.

When he had sat down he looked over at them rolling his eyes. "You know you can stop staring at me now. I'm fine, I'm just sick."

"That sucks man." Chouji commented.

"Yeah." Naruto agreed. "But that's not in I can tell."

"No shit sherlock, it's probably because of Ino."

"Jeez Chouji, it's not like I would know everything. It's not like _someone_ tells me everything like that someone tells you."

Chouji rolled his eyes and siad someone glared angrily at Chouji and Naruto. "I'm fine. Really."

"No you're not. Damnet, why is it so hard for you to let your feelings out every once in a while?" Chouji questioned concerned.

" You need to let her go Shikamaru. Just face it, she's stuck on that son of a bitch, Sasuke and she's not going to be off him until he does something to her so horrible that she realizes he's a bastard. 

Even so, what makes you think she'll like you even after that? Knowing Ino, she's going to fall for the next boy that every other girl is after, and no offense but that isn't you." Naruto added.

Shikamaru glared even more immensely at Naruto sending the message to him to keep his mouth shut. "For your guys's information, I help her because she's my friend and one of the most goddamn important people to me. You think I don't realize she won't like me even after that? You know what? Just…just leave me and my business the fuck alone." Shikamaru spat stomping off to his room and slamming the door just before locking it. Chouji and Naruto sat there with their jaws almost touching the ground. They had never seen Shikamaru show that much emotion. Ever.

Inside Shikamaru's bedroom he was quietly brooding to himself and bleeding on the inside. He even thought of getting a couple drinks himself, tonight when Ino was at the bar.


	3. Chapter 3: Ino finds out

"Where the hell is it?" Shikamaru asked no one in particular as he searched and scoured his room for his favorite black hoody. He needed something to keep him warm while he was out, he didn't want to get any sicker.

"I don't know dude but you really need to clean up around here. It's almost as messy as Naruto's room." Chouji commented picking up a couple of bowls that he found lying around near some old magazines.

"Yeah you really need a women's touch around here buddy." Naruto added.

Shikamaru finally stood back up and sighed giving up the search for his hoody under the bed. "Naruto, I thought you said that you guys were sorry for the comments a minute ago and you would keep your mouths shut about it."

Naruto smiled mischievously at his friend and flopped onto the bed laying on his back and looking at Shikamaru. "No, I said I was really sorry, I didn't mean to make you mad, and I would keep my mouth shut about Ino, not about girls in general."

Chouji grabbed a bag of chips out of his pocket and almost ripped open the top. "Naruto, leave him alone."

"Okay! Okay! Jeez…"

"Thanks Chouji, now, we just have to find that goddamn hoody." Shikamaru said opening his closet and digging around while Naruto rolled over and Chouji stuffed his face.

"I don't even get why we have to go." Naruto complained. "I mean don't you go by yourself all the time?"

"Yeah, I didn't say you guys had to come though."

"Yeah, well Chouji said I did."

"Well then don't get pissed at me, you guys really shouldn't come anyways, it will make me look less inconspicuous."

"You have a pet hippopotamus?"

"It will make him look less inconspicuous dumbass!" Chouji yelled at Naruto for his helpless stupidity, "It means it will make him look less unnoticed."

"Oh." Naruto mumbled blushing.

"How does Hinata put up with you?" Shikamaru asked curiously.

"I've always wondered that myself." Naruto replied blushing harder.

"Yeah? Well she must wonder that too sometimes." Chouji laughed.

"Found it!" Shikamaru yelled finally holding said jacket up.

"Finally." Chouji said through a mouthful of chips.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you to not talk with your mouth open?" Naruto asked bewildered that Chouji could stuff half a bag of chips in his mouth and still have room to talk.

"Nope." Chouji replied proudly.

"Can you please hurry up you two? She's probably already there!"

"Fine! Damn Shika, we were waiting on you."

When the three got to the bar they saw that Ino, Sasuke, and Sasuke's toys were already there. Ino had two bottles already sitting by her arm. She looked over at Sasuke wearily and sighed. Why did he have to get drunk every night and do something that obviously hurt her? Didn't carrying her back every night to her apartment and seeing her in this state phase his feelings at all? "Not even a bit of guilt." Ino thought sadly ordering another bottle of Sake.

"That bastard son of a bitch." Chouji muttered watching Sasuke clumsily slide his arm around a skinny, skimpy dressed brunette girl who was giggling loudly next to a bunch of other skimpy dressed girls. There were at least 12 of them surrounding him.

Shikamaru clenched his fists and intently glared at the raven haired boy who was ruining Ino's life, which was unquestionably ruining Shikamaru's life.

Ino felt the familiar buzz of the sake take hold of her mind as the room started spinning and she started to feel sick, in a good way. She remembered she was sad about something, but she had forgotten what. She hiccupped and toddled over to her boyfriend finally remembering what it was. And for the first time in his life, Shikamaru saw Ino confront Sasuke about what he was doing. Sober or not, Ino having the guts to do that was wonderful for him.

"Sasuke-kun," Ino managed to hiccup. "Can you stop doing what you're doing?"

"What?" Sasuke asked turning to her in a dazed state.

"I saaaaaaaaaaid…hic… can you please stop messing around with these whores? I am your girlfriend you know."

"Who the fuck is this?" asked one of the blondes sitting on Sasuke's lap.

"No one Special." Sasuke replied waving Ino off like she was some annoying bug buzzing in his ear.

Ino started to tear up and she let the miniscule drops of water flow down her cheeks. "You…hic…bastard…how could you…hic… say that? You think these sluts are…hic…going to do anything for you?

"What did you call me?" The blonde asked sliding off Sasuke's leg and in front of Ino menacingly.

"Uh oh, not good." Chouji, Shikamaru, and Naruto said in unison. They rushed over to Ino pushing past the huge drunk crowd arriving just a minute too late.

"I said you're a dirty kinky whore." Ino replied getting inches from the other girl.

The blonde wrinkled her nose like she was smelling garbage and punched Ino clear in the jaw. Ino crumpled to the floor too hurt to fight whatever else the girl was going to give her, while Sasuke watched the "bitch fight" like it was some sort of sports game on T.V.

Shikamaru got there in time for him to stop the girl from doing anything else. He helped Ino up and gave her to Chouji to hold. "Thank god, this would have gotten nasty." Naruto shrieked helping Chouji hold Ino up. "Wait a minute Shika, Shikamaru what are you doing?" Naruto yelled watching the lazy shinobi make his way past the crowd of sluts to Sasuke.

"Just to let you know, you can have her, I know you've been looking at her for a while now Shikamaru," Sasuke said when Shikamaru finally got to him. "You think I don't notice you coming in here every night to save her ass when she knocks herself out? It's quite interesting to me really, why someone as smart as you would like someone as stupidly and idiotically simple as her. She must of have been empty-headed to not notice you staring at her like that. I think she does have a nice ass though." Sasuke added.

Shikamaru couldn't hold it in any longer, not after what Sasuke had just said to him. He remembered what Sasuke had done to Ino every single night, made her drink half her life away, made her watch him make out with countless girls he didn't know, how he left her there every night for Shikamaru to clean up take her back home. He thought about it all, and in 5 seconds, he summoned all his will power into his fist and knocked Sasuke clear to the ground sending all the surrounding girls running and screaming away. He immediately loomed over Sasuke punching him into a huge bloody mess before Sasuke rolled them back over digging his knees into Shikamaru's stomach and giving him 2 huge punches in the chest.

"Shikamaru!" Chouji and Naruto yelled sitting Ino in a nearby chair and running over to assist their friend. They both threw Sasuke off of him and helped him to his feet while he coughed the remaining blood in his system up onto the floor. Shikamaru had felt like he had all the air taken right out of him. For being drunk, Sasuke still had some of his useful wits about him.

Knowing he couldn't take three of the boys on, Sasuke quietly slipped out the door while the bar tender peeked up from the bar and Ino slowly came to.

"Sh-Shikamaru?" she groaned stumbling over to where Chouji and Naruto had helped him up.

"Let me go." Shikamaru wheezed. "I gotta help Ino, Ino sit down you'll hurt yourself."

"Me?" she asked her voice cracking. "Look at you! Here, Chouji Naruto, let me help him." Ino offered stumbling some more.

"Ino, just go home, your well enough this time where you can walk yourself home and Shikamaru doesn't have to carry you back this time."

"Shikamaru?" Ino slurred stunned.

"Yes Shikamaru, like your asshole boyfriend would help you. Now just leave, you've already done enough." Chouji said rather harshly for his usual self. Especially when he was talking to one of his best friends Ino.

"Let me go!" Shikamaru yelled as the walked out the door.

Chouji and Naruto ignored his protests and walked out the door leaving Ino alone to weep and ponder to herself. "How did I not know?" Ino sobbed. "It was Shikamaru all this time."


	4. Chapter 4: A long night

When Naruto and Chouji got Shikamaru back to the safety of his own house they managed to calm him down enough to where they could sit him down on the couch and let him go. However, they still didn't want to leave him alone in fear that he might go back and try to help Ino. "You guys are so fucking troublesome!" Shikamaru yelled irritated that he had been involuntarily dragged back to his house. "She's all alone out there and she needs-" he continued yelling before he started coughing violently again. He felt every ounce of unbearable in pain in his lungs, stomach, and chest each time he inhaled.

"Calm down Shikamaru, you need your rest, you can hardly breathe if you haven't noticed." Naruto said softly, trying to comfort him.

"I don't care. I don't care if I die ten minutes from now, what I do care about is Inos safety and well being."

"Would you shut up already?" Chouji half-yelled making Shikamaru flinch out of shock for Chouji's strait forward attitude. "You need to stop pushing yourself so hard buddy." He commented a little softer. "You need to think about you right now, stop being concerned for everyone else. Look at you dude, you got the shit beat out of you. Focus on healing yourself."

"He's right." Naruto agreed.

Shikamaru's brain knew that Chouji was right. It didn't take someone with his genius brain to figure that out, but Shikamaru also had a genius heart, and only when it came to Ino, did his heart win over his head.

Shikamaru looked down silently spacing out, letting his thoughts consume his every being. He started to wheeze unmercifully again, and he touched his fingertips delicately to the place where Sasuke's fists had brutally landed on his chest. He winced when he felt a wave of pain wash over his body below his neck.

"Well…" Naruto began trying to find something to break the silence. "Get some rest ok Shikamaru?"

"Yeah, hey wait a minute what are you two doing?" He asked hoarsly watching his friends get up and walk towards his storage closet.

"Oh don't think we're leaving you alone here tonight." Chouji laughed.

"Yeah buddy, there's no way. We don't know if you'll just get up and go chase after Ino. So we're staying her to make sure that you don't."

"Damn you." Shikamaru muttered under his breath as the two pulled sleeping bags out of the closet. He had used them a couple times when his dad was still alive. He and his dad both loved to go camping on weekends to get away from the "troublesome" ways of the world when there wasn't any 

reason they had to stay home. Alone time with his dad was one of Shikamaru's favorite things to look forward to.

"We've got our eyes on you so don't even think of moving a muscle from that couch." Naruto ordered sternly looking at the lazy shinobi. "So in the meantime…"

"Oh no… I do not like that look." Shikamaru thought a bit frightened by the evil look in Naruto's blindingly blue eyes.

"We're going to play truth."

"You mean truth or dare." Choui correected.

"No I mean truth, we're leaving out the dare part, oh and the only rules are…Shikamaru is the only person that gets asked the questions."

Shikamaru thought he literally stopped breathing all together, and not just from the fight earlier.

"Oh I got ya." Chouji chuckled slapping Naruto a high five.

"And if I refuse to play?"

"You can't. You might as well anyways, your not going anywhere and besides it's just us, ya know, your best friends?"

Shikamaru sighed in his defeat and waited form Naruto's little "game" to start. He wanted to literally grab Naruto and toss him out the door.

"So, Chouji and I were just talking before we got here when we realized that we havn't ever seen you take an interest in girls before now… we almost thought there was something else you might wanna tell us…"

When Shikamaru realized what Naruto was implying a bright red tinted the bridge of his nose and his cheeks. If he didn't want to strangle the dobe before now he wanted Naruto to have a slow painful death. "I'm strait you idiot!" He yelled causing his respiratory system more stress then it needed.

"Well duh, now we know that."

"Hn."

"So my question is… have you ever had a girlfriend before?" Naruto asked. His voice was dripping with curiosity.

"No." Shikamaru mummbled.

"What's that?" Chouji asked putting his hand to his ear.

"No! Ok? I havn't ever had a girlfriend."

The blonde cracked up the instant the words left the shadow wielder's mouth, he rolled on the floor in his laughing fit. Chouji had to hold back a laugh as well. Even he had a girlfriend at the moment, no one had met her yet but it was only because of the distance they had between eachother. That never stopped Chouji though, he loved her with all his heart. Her name was Kaira, and she lived in the wet dreary terain of the villaige hidden in the rain, besides that, Chouji and Kaira had a lot in common. Their main characteristic they shared was…well the characteristic that stuck out on Chouji the most. Food.

"Jeez no wonder you're so uptight about this one chick."

"Don't call her "this one chick Naruto" she's more then that."

"Whatever." Naruto replied rolling his eyes.

"So is that all?" Shikamaru asked angrily.

"Nope."

"Ugh."

"So… ahem… I am guessing that I'm the only one in here that's gotten laid before." Naruto chuckled looking evily at both Shikamaru and Chouji.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and ignored the comment. He absolutely hated how one of the main things most boys his age hung on, was sex. Sure, it would be nice, but Shikamaru wasn't absolutely obsessed with the idea unlike every other boy.

"Actually…" Chouji mummbled fidgeting and blushing 1000 shades of red.

Shikamaru almost jumped up from the couch and tackled Chouji at that very moment.

"You mean… with Kaira?" Naruto asked laughing and rolling on the floor again in a way that irritated Shikamaru even further.

"Of course with Kaira!" Chouji shouted in Naruto's face causing the chubby boy to turn even redder, if at all possible.

"Okay! Okay! So that means that _you_ happen to be the only virgin Shikamaru." Naruto chuckled trying to hide his need to burst out into laughter. Trying to hide it wasn't enough though, and pretty soon both Chouji and Naruto were laughing at their friend.

Shikamaru slapped his forehead silently and shook his head. He couldn't wait for morning to come when he was healed a little more. He would make sure to get an uninterupted ampunt of rest that night so that tomorrow he could kick the crap of Naruto and throw both the blonde and Chouji out the door, before the irritated him further, and things got more troublesome.


	5. Chapter 5: Finally

The next morning could have been the most relieving morning of Shikamaru's life. His "comrades" were finally gone and he could do as he pleased. 99 of him wanted so badly to go run to Ino's to see if she had made it back safely or if she was ok, but he knew she would probably be too upset to talk with him, and that was what kept him pacing back in fourth desperate to think of something.

"She probably thinks I'm such a pervert." He muttered kicking over a trash bin out of shier frustration. "God I'm such a loser." He shouted to no one in particular. He jolted and tripped clumsily over a stack of magazines when he heard the doorbell ring. "Ow…" he groaned as it ringed again. "I'm coming, I'm coming! What do you want!" he shouted causing Ino to shiver in fear on his doorstep.

"I-I…"

"Oh hey Ino-chan… s-sorry I was uh…playing a frustrating video game."

"Oh."

Shikamaru put his hand on the back of his neck when an awkward silence engulfed both of them. He always had the habit of scratching the back of his head or putting his hand on the back of his neck when he didn't know what else to say. He looked away pretending to be interested in something on his doormat.

Ino could hardly find any words in her flamboyant mind to say. She had come to apologize but she didn't want to poor her heart out in front of him, "it would be way too awkward." She decided. Still, then what else was there to say? How could she get out what she wanted to say without making it sound like she was a drama queen? She also wasn't over the shock that it had been Shikamaru changing her clothes for her all the time and breaking into her apartment to put her to bed every time she was drunk. She knew he had good means, and he didn't do anything to her but it was still something she couldn't just wave away. And in a way she was terribly grateful. She took a momentary glance at the man standing in front of her that she had come to know as one of her best friends. She smiled while she looked from his face down to his torso. Even though they had been friends since they were kids, she hadn't ever noticed how much of a man Shikamaru had become. Who knew such a lazy guy could have such a nice physique?

Her eyes wandered back up to his chest where she saw two large purple bruises sticking out like a sore thumb from his tanish colored skin. When he looked back at her he looked down to where she was looking and he instantly put his hand over the bruises out of instinct.

"Is that from…" she asked softly.

"Yeah."

Ino stared at the spots with wide eyes in an incredible awed stare to what she had partly caused. She was staring so much that it was making Shikamaru blush lightly. He blushed something worse when slowly and softly she stepped closer to him and moved his hand away, smoothing her small hand over the spots he was covering from her piercingly teal eyes. He was frozen stiff not sure if he 

should back away or say something to her, so he just stood there letting her soft touch scatter his thoughts and make his pulse rate increase significantly. She looked up at his face loving him even more. Her eyes began to fill with the rim with tears. She couldn't hold them back any longer and she emotionally let them spill down her cheeks. He pulled her into his arms, not knowing when he did so but just feeling the need to do it. She gripped his shirt and sobbed into him using every bit of his embrace to comfort her. "I'm s-so… sorry Shika-kun. It's all my f-fault! I h-hate myself for doing th-this to you!" she sobbed.

"Shhhh." He consoled. "Don't you dare say that. You don't mean it."

"Yes I do! I g-got you into t-trouble for my sake a-and I didn't ever think about y-you, all I th-thought about was that goddamn son of a b-bitch Sa-Sa-Sa." She cried not even having the strength to say her enemy's name. "And now look," she said calming down a bit, "I've gotten you hurt and you still aren't mad."

Shikamaru couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. "Of course I'm not mad at you Ino-chan. No one is perfect and…you're too sweet to be mad at."

A light blush tinted the cheeks of the blonde as she smiled up at the one holding her. She leaned forward to thank him in the only way she knew how at the moment.

Shikamaru's eyes widened as his love's sweet lips pressed against his own. He slowly closed his eyes deepening the kiss and holding Ino, the love of his life.


	6. Chapter 6: Sweet to Hott

**_Hey guys! Well this is my first time actually writing to you guys but I just wanted to thank all you guys for being so nice and for all the lovely reviews I received, I know I have many typos and I apologize for this, but thanks for reading my very first fanfic anyways!_**

**_PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:_**

**_This is rated mature for a reason! Almost this whole chapter is filled with heavy lemon!! DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU ARE MATURE ENOUGH TO HANDLE_**

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

Shikamaru smiled to himself, hands stuffed in pockets, and head in the clouds, he was thinking about the night of his life he had with his someone special.

"Shika, Shikamaru!" Chouji yelled waving frantically in front of Shikamaru's face.

"Huh? Oh what is it Chouji?"

"Man! You're so out of it today dude! What's up with you?"

Shikamaru smirked and shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly at his best friend. "You know what?"

"Huh? Wait what?" Chouji asked wondering what in the world the shadow user would have to say.

"You know how I had plans in the future for an average life? Ya' know, fall in love with and average girl, have 2 kids, ect…"

"Yeah…"

"Well…" Shikamaru chuckled happily.

"Might as well change the average girl part."

Chouji's eyes widened at Shikamaru's last couple of words, that had given everything away. Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled. "Heh heh, troublesome love."

_**Flashback**_

_Shikamaru couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. "Of course I'm not mad at you Ino-chan. No one is perfect and…you're too sweet to be mad at." _

_A light blush tinted the cheeks of the blonde as she smiled up at the one holding her. She leaned forward to thank him in the only way she knew how at the moment._

_Shikamaru's eyes widened as his love's sweet lips pressed against his own. He slowly closed his eyes deepening the kiss and holding Ino, the love of his life._

_Ino lightly shoved Shikamaru inside his own home causing him to stumble back into a wall, that seemed to have been nonexistent before he had crashed into it. Shikamaru looked up and in what seemed like less then a second Ino was standing in front of him again, leaning on his slender figure, and then in even less time then that, they were at it, tongue wrestling again. Shikamaru had no idea what he was doing, but to Ino's surprise it almost seemed like he invented the art of making out._

_He shifted a little, feeling the fabric of his pants tighten increasingly, as he felt down Ino's torso to her hips. He wanted her, wanted to have his way with her more then anything he could possibly want ever again, but he was certain she didn't want to go that far with him, especially after the boyfriend drama she had gone through with Sasuke. And there was also that annoyingly irritating fact that kept pulsing through his head constantly when he was around her. He was no one special to her, or at least not that important. So why was she letting them roll towards the bedroom without a fight?_

_When they were finally in the "pig sty" known as Shikamaru's room, she forcefully lifted the T-shirt over Shikamaru's head, placing her as the dominant one so far. Shikamaru wanted to be so much more forceful and aggressive with her, but then again he was not an aggressive man, and he was never good at being forward, and he didn't want to do something that would make her fall away from him._

_Ino's eyes widened at the sight before her. She was right, for being lazy, Shikamaru, did have a nice physique… a __**really**__ nice physique. His athletically built and slender body would have been a show for even the blind._

_Shikamaru continued kissing Ino down her jaw, and to her neck, when she moaned, and out of instinct he started to suck and nip at her spot. _

_Almost out of awe, Ino, splayed her hands over his muscular chest, and guided her palms down to his torso, feeling along the ridges of his strong abs causing her lover to give a slight shudder. Shikamaru felt the fabric of his jeans tighten even more, almost painfully. _

_"I-Ino." He stuttered._

_"Hm?"_

_"I don't wanna-"_

_"You don't wanna what?" she asked looking up into his eyes and then down at the bulge in his pants. "Oh."_

_Shikamaru blushed the necessary amount to blend in with a tomato patch when Ino looked back up at him. _

_She smiled sweetly and whispered closely to his ear, "It's ok, I want you too…"_

_That was all Shikamaru needed to hear, in one swift movement he had her bra off, shirt off, and on the bed. He bent his head down towards Ino's chest and started to suck and massage her breasts with his mouth and tongue making Ino moan loudly. "Sh-Shika… ah!" she groaned calling out his name. He wanted to show her how much he cared, how much he needed her. He started to plant hot open mouth kisses down her torso making sure she was in nothing but pleasure every second of it. She gasped loudly when his tongue flicked in and back out of her belly button. _

"_Okay I've had enough of him being on top." She finally decided flipping their positions faster then Shikamaru could pant out the word, fuck. She straddled his hips seductively pulling down his jeans. His boxers came next, leaving him completely naked, another sight for Ino. She smirked and grabbed his throbbing member in her hand before stroking it softly and then putting the whole thing into her mouth. She bobbed up and down watching his face as his hypnotizing chocolate colored eyes shut tight and he let out a muffled groan along with her name. "Ah, Oh my god, I-Ino!"_

_After a while she let go and sat back up crawling back up to his lips. She kissed him as he turned her over still panting. "You seem a little out of breath Shika-kun." She teased. _

_"You're asking for it." He chuckled continuing to trail his tongue deviously down her stomach._

_When he reached the edge of her skirt, he pulled down on it along with her underwear, gently and slowly making Ino hate every single slow second that he wasn't inside of her. When her skirt was all the way down he crawled back over her kissing her passionately until they both needed air. "Shika-kun, n-no more teasing, I need you now." _

_"I know, I'm getting to that." He said smoothly inserting a finger inside of her wet core. She squeaked a little, not expecting the bit of pain that shot through her. After a while, she relaxed a bit and he inserted the second finger waiting patiently as her pain subsided. When he inserted a third finger, he felt her tense and stiffly claw into his shoulder blades. He pulled his hand away and looked down at her lovingly kissing her again. "This is going to hurt more then any of that," he said letting her know before he entered her. He wanted to make sure she was still alright before he did anything. "But I promise, it's going to feel good after a bit."_

_She slowly nodded kissing him back and smiling up at him with that drop dead gorgeous smirk. "It's ok. I love you." _

_Shikamaru smiled back, and with that, he gave a quick thrust forward pushing as he felt Ino's barrier begin to break. She screamed in pain and dug her nails into his shoulder blades even more causing him to bleed slightly. When Shikamaru felt her buck her hips after a while, he knew it was alright to continue. He moved slowly going in and out of her, rocking his hips against hers in a rhythm that was pleasurable to them both. _

_"Shikamaruuuuu," she moaned against his chest. "H-harder."_

_Obeying her wishes he gladly pumped in and out of her pushing harder and faster. "Ah! Oh my god! Oh! Shika!" She yelled clawing down his back._

* * *

_After a while they both reached their climaxes and Shikamaru rolled off of Ino after spilling all of his fluids into her. Ino watched his wiry chest rise and fall as he panted heavily. She laid quietly using his chest as a pillow, making sure to be extra careful of the two bruises that stuck out by his neck. _

_"I love you." She whispered kissing his cheek._

_"I love you too Ino-chan. More then you or anyone else will ever know." And with that they fell asleep. _


	7. Chapter 7: Troublesome

Shikamaru and Chouji finally arrived at Naruto's house, after a considerable amount of dawdling. Shikamaru just couldn't help replaying the flashbacks from the night before, in his brilliant mind. He knew now that the cat was out of the bag, a certain chubby nin was bound to tell a certain blonde and hyperactive nin, that Shikamaru could now without a doubt, join their little "non-virgin club".

Not that he minded Chouji telling Naruto, the guy was his other best friend besides Chouji. The problem was the childish teenager, was the King of loudmouths, which Shikamaru knew meant that most likely, the whole entire village would end up knowing before the genius could even count the 3rd cloud of the day.

Naruto opened the door, with a scowl on his face, and sneezed into his pale skin. "Hey man-dude, are you ok?" Chouji asked with concern filling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I just have a…a…ACHOO!" Naruto sneezed falling over in the process. Shikamaru and Chouji stepped in and helped the blonde up. "Thanks." He sniffed.

"Don't mention it."

"Na-Naruto-kun? I heard t-the doorbell ring a-and…" Hinata mumbled walking around the corner. Chouji and Shikamaru glanced her way looking a bit surprised. They hadn't expected Hinata to be over, but then again, she was Naruto's girlfriend, and it was more than likely she would be here to help her boyfriend while he was sick.

"Oh it was only Shikamaru, and Chouji." Naruto explained flopping onto the couch and patting his lap for Hinata to sit on. Hinata gladly obliged nearly skipping over to Naruto.

"So, what brings you guys here?" Naruto asked casually slipping his arms around Hinata's skinny waist.

"Well…" Chouji began smirking over at Shikamaru who was blushing slightly. Shikamaru knew Chouji would tell Naruto right off the bat. That wasn't what was bothering him though; it was having Hinata in on the secret too. Oh boy was Ino-chan going to love this.

"Well what? Come on you gotta let me in on it."

Chouji looked over to Shikamaru happily making sure that it was alright to spill the beans. He just rolled his eyes and glared back at the heavy set boy. "You might as well tell him, I mean he's going to want to know now that you've brought it up." Shikamaru huffed exasperated.

Chouji rolled his eyes and looked at Naruto and Hinata sitting on the couch. If a girl weren't in the room Shikamaru would have gladly smacked the evil grin Chouji had, right off his face.

"Let's just say lover boy over there, had a little fun last night with little Miss Ino."

Hinata blushed and her eyes just about bulged out of her head. Naruto smirked and chuckled arrogantly as usual. "Well, well, it's about time you got yourself laid. Welcome to the world of being a man."

"N-Naruto-kun!" Hinata yelped trying not to giggle.

Shikamaru closed his eyes inhaled and exhaled. "Tch, troublesome…" He had found that no amount of deep breathing and level headedness was going to help calm the headaches he called his best friends. "Can we please move on to another subject?" He asked in his passive tone.

"Like what lover boy?"

"Like, Chouji had something to say, dumbass! So shut up!"

"Jeez I was just playing, alright alright." Naruto said giving in and holding Hinata closer.

"But Shikamaru-"

"No buts, your going to tell, _now_."

Chouji sighed in his agonizing defeat and he mumbled something that you couldn't have heard even if you had an ear right next to his mouth.

"W-What was th-that Cho-kun?" Hinata stuttered.

" I said I'm…"

"You're what? Spit it out already!" The blonde yelled.

"I said I'm going to ask Kaira to marry me!"

Hinata smiled her once in a life time confident smile and gave Chouji a thumbs up. "C-Congratulations Cho-kun!"

Shikamaru smiled and patted Chouji on the back. "Yeah man way to go."

"Thanks guys." Chouji replied grinning ear to ear.

* * *

The rest of the day consisted of chatting and exchanging some stories, before Shikamaru finally got home. When he unlocked the front door, he immediately knew something was wrong. The atmosphere felt foggy and dense. It was hard to breathe, and Shikamaru was pretty sure he was getting dizzier by the minute, like he had just received some sort of horrible bad news.

When he walked into the bathroom, he immediately fell to his knees in shock at what was displayed in front of him. Everything was a mess, the air was musty with dust, the mirror lay cracked and shattered on the ground, and worst of all blood was absolutely _everywhere_. Shikamaru didn't have to call ANBU to figure out that the blood was Ino's. His heart sank and he could feel reality slipping away as he picked up a glass shard drawn on with the thick red liquid.

The shard read:

_Don't bring anyone with you or you know what will happen._

_Don't disobey or you know what will happen,_

_You know where to find me, and Nara, I would seriously think about the situation _

_You're in, I heard you're a genius so figure it out._

_Sasuke_

Shikamaru almost threw up all over the now messy tile floor. The bastard, that he had thought was gone, the bastard he thought he kept Ino safe from was back, and he had Shikamaru's most precious possession. His someone special, none other than Ino Yamanaka


	8. Chapter 8: Brutal Conflict

**Sorry about the long wait guys! Bet you thought I abandoned the story! Ha! Right, me abandon!? Never! But anyways, I just needed a brain breather I guess... well heres the 8th chapter hope you enjoy it! .**

**... THE 8TH CHAPTER!? WHOA!**

Shikamaru frantically racked his genius brain for answers as to Sasuke's location. Somehow he just couldn't find anything that he would recall as a place Sasuke would be. The thought of Ino, beaten, battered, and bloody lingered in the most sensitive parts of his head, and his heart.

He started to slowly slip into a depressingly pessimistic state, recalling and clinging to the very last memories of her like they were his lifeline. Then it hit him. What place would Sasuke resort to other then the place where Shikamaru had so suddenly started everything? The bar, Sasuke had to be at the bar. Without further ado, Shikamaru promptly grabbed a jacket, and swiftly ran out of his house to find the love of his life.

He hit the road running at hell-to-leather fast, as soon as he got out the door. A stream of fresh tears streaking down his cheeks as he rapidly raced at speeds, no one would have guessed the laziest shinobi to ever be capable of running. Shikamaru sniffled once and wiped his face on the back of his sleeve, "t-troublesome." He remarked. "Boys don't cry, I must look like a fucking idiot right now."

He was at the bar in record timing and he almost tore off the dirty, rickety, old door as he rushed into the dysfunctional bar. He found himself surrounded by a bunch of cluttered and tipped over tables, along with the broken and, abused chairs scattered around… he found himself looking at the way the bar was arranged the exact day he fought with Sasuke. He felt a chill go up his spine, and he felt an unfamiliar feeling of uncertainty slink into his brain. Shikamaru was never uncertain, he was always, at least 2 steps ahead of everyone else. However, though he was drunk most of the time, Sasuke was definitely not a person to be taken lightly. He was good at pinpointing weaknesses and quickly adapting to situations in battle. The same thing applied here. He was trying to shake Shikamaru up, and much to our favorite spiky haired ninja's loathing, it was working.

He heard a soft scream, and it took him all of a millisecond to recognize the high pitched voice. His eyes widened as he saw her, she was a little dirty, and she had a couple bruises, but other then that, she looked alright, in fact, he never thought she looked more perfect, beautiful, and alive. "She's alive, she's ok!" he thought as he instantly raced towards her and undid the bonds that held her captive, as well as the bandana that was stuffed in her mouth. Shikamaru was hurriedly talking and telling her he was so happy she was alright, and how he would get her home safe, and when he was about to say he loved her, that's when he heard Ino scream, and he felt a cold and numbing sensation rip through his leg. He looked down to see that a jagged, silver blade was sticking out through his right leg. Dark red liquid stained his pants around the blade, and dripped graciously onto the dusty floor.

"Sh-Shikamaru! " Ino screamed as he started to crumple to the floor. Before he could even hit the ground, Sasuke struck him again running the blade across his back, tearing his jacket shirt and skin, into a horribly painful gash. Still Sasuke would not let him fall, he used his skill in agility to race in front of Shikamaru punching him and kicking him almost the point of complete unconsciousness. Shikamaru crashed to his hands and knees, and spit out what seemed like a river of spit and blood. His usually perfectly pulled back hair was falling out of its usual ponytail, making his bangs frame his face in a worn out and beaten look. As he heaved, his body desperately tried to suck air into his lungs. Ino was sobbing as Sasuke again kicked him down onto the ground. He reached out to her still coughing and hacking like an old man. "I-Ino…" he hoarsely half-whispered.

She desperately wanted to help him, she would have, if she weren't frozen in fear like some weak child. "Why am I so fucking weak?" she screamed at herself in her head.

"I-I" he tried again, not even able to finish his sentence.

"Say it bitch." Sasuke threatened bending down and pulling him to his knees by his hair. "Tell her you love her. I dare you too, you pussy." He spat holding the blade to Shikamaru's throat.

"I-I" Shikamaru tried again as his voice and lungs were strained even more.

"Say it fucker!" Sasuke yelled into Shikamaru's ear as he ran the blade down one of his arms. Even though the lazy shinobi knew Sasuke was basically cutting his arm to bits at the moment, he couldn't even feel the pain. He was to beaten to feel anything. And his attention was fixed on the beautiful sight in front of him. He was sure that he looked like an absolute mess, but even then Ino was focused on him too. She looked so lovely to him even with the dirt streaked down her skinny and perfectly curvy body, even with those tear stained eyes and tear streaked cheeks and those cut and succulent lips never looked so good.

Shikamaru smiled at her, tears building up in his own eyes. He looked up strait into her eyes, and hoarsely whispered just audible enough for her and Sasuke to hear. " I love you… always, and forever."

"Bitch, don't lie to the whore, your life is ending here today, you wont be able to love her for another fucking minute."

Shikamaru smiled sadly as he felt his head being wrenched back and the blade start to lightly slice his neck, stopping just before fatal point. He looked around his vision blurred, from blood loss. The 

last thing he remembered before blacking out completely, was Ino, picking his upper half up into her lap, and cradling him sobbing into his neck.


	9. Chapter 9: Tears and Teasing

Ok so I must say thankyou to all the wonderful new reviews!! I swear I wrote them all down and hung them up in my locker at school. You guys make my world go around... ok is that being a little creepy? Ha ha no seriously...

SO Heres the next chapter enjoy!

* * *

Shikamaru's vision blurred as soon as he opened his eyes, and all he could see for a moment was white blurred shapes. Soon enough the blinding florescent light above his head came into focus of his vision, and he realized he was in the hospital. He tried to move, but his body ached in protest and the bandages pulled at his scratched up skin. He felt like he had been cut into pieces somehow and stitched back together. He heard the beeping of a nearby heart monitor speed up in tune to his heart. When he tried to say something all he could manage was a moan or a grunting sound.

As if on cue, Sakura rushed into the room and saw that the previously unconscious boy was now awake and struggling to get up. "Shikamaru-san lay back down this instant!" she barked pushing down on the muscular form of his chest, forcing him to lie back down. He winced as she pushed on one of his bruises and mumbled something barely audible that Sakura thought sounded like "troublesome".

"Sorry about this Shika, but you're just to weak right now, but its time to change your bandages anyways so I guess you'll have to move a little anyways."

"I-Ino." He mumbled as Sakura unraveled a bandage from his arm.

She smiled sweetly at him and grabbed some rubbing alcohol from a nearby tray Shikamaru hadn't noticed before with his delayed reactions and blurred vision. "Oh, she's fine. Just a couple of bumps and bruises, you really did a good job." Sakura commented rubbing alcohol on the gash Shikamaru attained on his left arm from when Sasuke had brutally slashed a sword it.

The shadow wielder didn't pay any attention to the pain radiating off his wounds at all. Warm tears spilled down his cheeks when he heard someone say he had done a good job. That's all he ever wanted in life, was to keep her safe, and he felt like a truly guilty idiot for letting her get so close to harm.

It was only when Sakura had finished healing Shikamaru a little more with her chakra, and bandaging up his wounds that she realized he was crying. She sadly smiled and pulled her best friend's lover into her arms as he sobbed like a frightened child during a storm.

He still had so many questions, but they could all be dealt with later. All he cared about was Ino's safety and that she was ok. "Ahem." A somber sounding voice cued from the doorway.

Shikamaru looked up to see his lovely blonde kunoichi standing in the doorway looking sadly at him with her crystal blue eyes. Oh, how he didn't want to upset his beautiful angel, she looked so fragile just standing there, and so peaceful and forlorn. He didn't want to make her unhappy. When Sakura let go, she smiled and walked to her best friend with a hand on her shoulder. "He's all yours." Shikamaru heard her whisper.

Ino sat down gently and gracefully in a chair by his bedside. Shikamaru simply wiped the tears from his eyes and muttered a "troublesome." To her.

Ino smiled and cupped the side of his cheek. "Well, you're back to your old self that quickly huh?" she laughed.

He put his hand over hers and grinned that same way that could convince her that somehow, everything would be alright. Shikamaru tried to sit up again for her, even if he could feel some of his wounds tearing and reopening. Oh fricken well, Sakura could yell at him later. "Shika-kun… don't get up."

"Ino, it's fine, really, I'm as fit as a fiddle!" he said grinning again.

She stared at him for a couple minutes taking in the scene. He looked so frail and small sitting there beaten in a hospital bed. The heart monitor ringing every so often was like music from hell to her.

"Ino, really I'm ok!"

She swept her hand underneath his chin to the side of his neck. He couldn't help his body's automatic reaction as he shuddered inwardly and felt the goose bumps rise. She pulled her hand away gently examining it. There was blood on her fingertips, and she looked up to see it had come from the wound on the side of his neck, where Sasuke had made that tiny slice, the attempt to begin to end his life.

Her crystal eyes welled up with tears and she wrapped her arms roughly around his neck and buried her face into his chest unaware that he was loving it the whole time, but at the same time, in immense pain. "No more Shikamaru, no more." She cried.

"No more of what?" he asked in a sort of trance fiddling with a lock of her hair.

"This! I can't stand almost losing you again! You are the only thing left to me!"

"Ino…" Shikamaru mumbled pushing her up to look into her eyes. "You are the only thing, and everything to me, all at the same time. I love you."

Ino stared at him for a moment and then started to giggle, then laugh, then laugh and cry all at the same time and before she knew it she had jumped onto his lap and glomped him.

"I love you more Nara Shikamaru." She mused running a finger down his nose. She was straddling him now, and though she had every intention on coming across in a sort of cute manor, she had no idea what her actions were doing to her boyfriend.

"Woman," Shikamaru half yelled trying to keep the groan in his throat from erupting. "You need to stop that." He laughed pressing his lips against her's.

"Tch, what makes you think that you can convince me that I need to-" she giggled before she felt the lump in between his legs pressing into her bottom. "Oh." She giggled more, "You could have just said so."

"But, that's troublesome." Shikamaru complained.

"Hn, you've already said troublesome twice since I've been here."

"Three times actually." He mumbled.

It was then, that Ino's more flamboyantly evil side decided to rear it's head. She decided she felt like toying with her poor helpless boyfriend while he couldn't get her back, though her southern regions ached for him to fuck her senseless. "Oh really?" she asked nonchalantly. "Is _eeeverything _troublesome?" she asked enunciating everything while rubbing the bulge in his pants.

He gasped as he felt more and more turned on. "Damnet you troublesome woman, we're in a- Unnnnn… hospital." Shikamaru managed to spit out as Ino teased him more.

"Ah, and there's that word again." She said almost in a half whisper as she slid her hands gently up his abs and chest.

His eyes were shut tight now. He was trying to concentrate on something other then where her hands were going; Clouds, shougi, Asuma-sensei, Chouji, ramen, anything that would distract him.

"Shiiiiika…" Ino teased sliding her fingertips inside the edge of his pants.

"Uh! Ino-chan I-oh Kami stop." He panted.

She took her hand out still sitting in his lap, now laughing her ass off. "That's what you get for scaring me and putting your life in danger."

Shikamaru pulled Ino into a rough passionate kiss right there even though he was sure more of his wounds reopened. When he let go, his voice was husky and full of lust. "You… are gonna pay for that when I'm better missy, in fact, I don't think you'll be walking for a couple of days." He smirked.

"Yeah! You tell her Shikamaru! That's the way to get her!" A familiar hyperactive voice rang out.

"Sorry… buddy… I told him to behave…but… he is Naruto." Chouji said in between munches of his bbq chips.

Shikamaru sighed and pulled Ino into his lap knowing he wouldn't get anymore privacy for a while.

Naruto smiled and put a hand on his shoulder as Chouji and him walked towards his bed. "We really are glad you're alright buddy." Naruto said smiling in his fox-like way. "Sorry about my bastard of an x-teammate."

"Meh, he was a pussy anyways. Troublesome…" Shikamaru joked. His friends simply smiled as Ino snuggled closer to his neck. "So… what happened right before I blacked out?" He asked the three sitting in the room.

Chouji frowned. "You mean they didn't tell you?

"No…" he said suddenly feeling a bad feeling in the pit of his gut.

Naruto, Chouji, and Ino, sighed all at once.

"Alright so… here's what happened…" Naruto began.


	10. Chapter 10: Mentally Owned

I'm so sorry guys, its been almost like a year, I know, I guess I've had some bumps in my life I've had to smooth out, and I haven't had any time to write. My grades are falling again too, bleh, but thats not why I'm writing to you guys now.

**_PLEASE READ THIS PART OF THE AUTHORS NOTE_**

**_SERIOUSLY..._**

**_I'M BEGGIN YOU PEOPLE!_**

**_DON'T GO TO THE STORY YET DAMNET!_**

I'm sort of at a loss for ideas for this story and I know this chapter is sort of a filler, but please please please I am BEGGING YOU people to give me some suggestions or ideas or anything you would like to see happen so I can get to updating sooner!!!!!!!!

Thankyou for the cooperation and all of your input! *hugs all of you*

~Remyx~

* * *

Shikamaru sat in his kitchen brooding, like he had the past 3 days since he came home from the hospital. He had insisted that Ino stay with him for her own well being. She hadn't exactly detested the idea of being alone, in Shikamaru's apartment, with him, but she didn't want to be anymore trouble to him either, especially after he had come home from the hospital.

That put the dark haired man where he was now. He hadn't let her out of his sight for any reason, at any time of the day, except for when she had to go to the bathroom. Even then, he listened intently at the door for anything out of the ordinary. If the quiet tingling noise of water and the rush of flushing wasn't the only sound that reached his ears, he would immediately go into a panic. One time he had even burst through the lock on the door while Ino had been innocently going to the bathroom. He had heard a small clattering noise, and it was all he needed to go into near-cardiac arrest. The incident was shortly followed by him running out of the bathroom with a stream of apologies leaving his lips and Ino, throwing toilet paper at his head yelling a truck full of profanities. Whether she loved Shikamaru or not, she was still Ino.

The words, that Chouji had spoken were still echoing in his head as he sat and watched Ino eat her breakfast.

"_He escaped."_

_"We managed to get a couple scratches on him before he left. Sorry man." Naruto shook his head guiltily._

_"Is that all?" Shikamaru asked, his voice feeling strained and foreign._

_Chouji shot Naruto a should-we-tell-him-look, before he started to explain. "No, he said that, he didn't need to deal with us, because he had plenty of people who would do the dirty work for him."_

_"D-dirty work?"_

_"He plans to…"_

_Naruto pretended to slit his throat with his finger sending the message to Shikamaru to what he was plotting._

_"You and Ino…you're both in danger. Huge danger."_

_"Obviously, you can trust us." Naruto soothed. "But, until further notice, watch your back."_

_The usually flamboyant and oblivious blonde fox, now looked distraught to say the least._

_"Thanks…" Shikamaru sighed running a hand through his hair._

_"We'll help you two in any way we can buddy."_

_Ino snuggled into Shikamaru's chest and sighed. "I know…" he replied._

The genius shinobi was starting to get frustrated. Sasuke, for not knowing him at all, was pretty good, at knowing him all to well. He had single-handedly, threatened Shikamaru with something, that Shikamaru couldn't simply think his way out of. He didn't know who he could and couldn't trust anymore, he didn't know how Sasuke was supposedly going to kill Ino and himself, and he had no idea how he was going to keep them both safe.

"Shika-kun, can't you, you know, relax?"

"Hn."

She sighed in silent defeat. "You haven't slept since you came home…"

"That's the point."

"Pleeeease? Just come to bed… I'll even go with you."

It was a tempting offer but Ino's safety was at steak, and Shikamaru would have crossed hell and back again just to keep her out of danger. "I can't."

"Sure you can! You just follow me and off we go!" She giggled pulling at his hand.

"Ino…Ino I said no!" He yelled at her yanking his hand back.

She stared up at him stunned. He was angry, and at her. "You don't have to yell."

"Well then, stop being so careless!" He hissed.

"Careless? I'm not being careless Shikamaru, I'm concerned! You haven't slept in days, which I thought was impossible for someone like you, and you won't let me anywhere by myself!"

"You don't have to be concerned about me Ino." He said, his voice softening slightly. "You need to be concerned about you! Konoha's only Uchiha, who is right now, the most dangerous enemy to my knowledge, is out to kill you! Why doesn't that bother you?"

"You don't get it do you?" She sneered, gazing up into his curious deer like eyes.

"Get what?"

"You're letting him win. This is what he wants, for us to be torn apart at his hands. You don't even see it do you Shikamaru?"

"I-" he started, her words almost literally hitting his heart.

"You haven't even kissed me since we got back…" she mumbled, as tears trekked their way down her beautiful face.

"Ino…" Shikamaru reached out to her. She was right. He had been so set on guarding her life it had never occurred to him that she was hurting inside. "Maybe this _is_ how Sasuke meant to destroy us." He thought. "From the inside, and then eventually, the out."

Ino backed away sniffling to herself. "N-no, you have protecting or whatever to do. You don't have time for that."

Shikamaru was to say the least, at a loss for words now. His heart ached, as much as his tired body and his worn out brain, as he saw her leave, and walk silently to his room. It hurt him all together even more when he heard her dry sobs from the other room.


	11. Chapter 11: Happy Ending, New beginnings

Well guys this is it. The LAST chapter. I hope you all enjoyed my stories! OwO thank you for all the wonderful reviews! There are more stories to come. _ I have gotten into Shikatema, and I'm writing one soon. I also have a GaaSaku story out. Thanks again! Enjoy!

* * *

Ino and Shikamaru had gone to sleep that night without speaking a single word to each other. One knew the other was right, and Shikamaru was silently dreading that he was turning into Sasuke. Well, not quite with all the extremes that came along with the Uchiha's personality, but he had managed to make Ino _cry_. _He_ made _Ino_ cry. He sighed in his briefing of the depressing situation and turned to her running his rough hand through her golden locks lazily with some sort of admiration and concern lacing his expression.

Ino suddenly snapped her hand back catching his wrist, with only speed that a Kunoichi possessed. He flinched stunned that she had caught him, as she turned over to face him, her expression was somber and confused.

"Shika-kun…tell me you love me…" She sniffled.

He stared at her his eyes mirroring her hurt and he pulled her closely to his chest and kissed the top of her head. "Do you think I'm insane? Of course I do."

She reached out and embraced his slim frame as fresh tears followed the path of older ones. "I-I thought I was troublesome." She partially giggled. She felt Shikamaru chuckle deep in his chest. At least she was laughing with him. "You are, but that doesn't mean I don't love you…you troublesome woman.

"Do…do you think that Sasuke is really after us now?"

"No…I don't. I think he has other plans for himself. Going after us a second time would be too troublesome anyways. Especially with Chouji, Naruto, and everyone else watching us so close. There's no way he could get in."

"You're so smart…" Ino cooed stroking his cheek.

He blushed and grabbed her hand kissing it. "And you need sleep."

"Not any more then you do."

"So?"

"So you're being a hypocrite you lazy ass." She giggled sighing and nuzzling the crevice of his neck. "Shika-kun…"

"Hm?" he asked sighing contently.

"I forgot to tell you something before our fight yesterday."

He winced when she reminded him of their quarrel. "What is it?"

She gingerly placed one of his hands on her abdomen and closed her eyes. "Concentrate. Feel."

He did as he was told, and used some of his more useful ninja skills to focus his energy on her. Then he found something, it wasn't her chakra signature chakra. There was another being, something else, then…a heartbeat. Another heartbeat. His eyes widened and he sent a penetrating stare her way.

"Y-you're…"

"Pregnant." She finished smiling weakly.

All he could think to do was stare at her more. His voice had somehow been temporarily caught in his throat as he gaped at her and opened and closed his mouth continuously.

"Are…are you not happy?"

His eyes softened and he kissed her sweetly. "No I'm not…I'm ecstatic."

Her smile could have lit up the whole room if she wanted it to. "Y-You are?"

He nodded. "Ino…you gave me a family…something I've always wanted…and now, I have two someone specials." He grinned lazily.

She kissed him and sighed snuggling back into him to go back to resting. Then she smirked. "You'll have to do the laundry." He groaned and she laughed.

THE END


End file.
